After a more subdued performance last year, the Halloween market is back in growth for 2025 – with retail sales forecast to rise by 13% to reach £668m.
Savvy’s latest Shopper Panel research – an online survey of a representative sample of 1,000 UK shoppers – shows strong growth across all Halloween sub-categories. Confectionery, party food and drinks (both soft and alcoholic) are leading the charge, supported by a wave of special-edition launches and greater engagement among younger adults.
This year, 42% of shoppers plan to get involved in Halloween celebrations.
Among those planning to get involved:
Popular activities include buying sweets and chocolates to give out to trick or treaters (72%), carving pumpkins (48%) and decorating the home (47%). Watching Halloween films (47%), going out trick-or-treating (37%) and buying fancy dress (35%) also rank highly.
The social side of the event is growing too – 34% plan to attend a Halloween party or gathering, and 23% expect to host one themselves. Meanwhile, one in five plan to make a themed dinner for the family, while the same proportion plan to attend an organised event (such as at a pubs or other venue).
Savvy’s research highlights the enthusiasm surrounding the event this year:
- 78% believe it’s important to make the most of events like Halloween, even while money is still tight
- 75% want to buy sustainable Halloween products
- 69% say social media is the best place for Halloween ideas, with 63% likely to buy something inspired by what they see in their feed
- 67% would prefer to buy from smaller or local retailers
- 64% think Halloween will be bigger than ever this year
Nearly half (47%) of shoppers expect to use AI to get ideas and inspiration this year – a rapidly emerging behaviour that brands and retailers would be wise to take note of. We expect this trend will fundamentally reshape the path-to-purchase.